Tissue ligation is a surgical or medical procedure in which an anatomical structure, such as a blood vessel, is tied off or constricted so as to limit or prevent flow through or to part of the structure. For example, varicose veins in the gullet or a duodenal diverticulum can be ligated by applying small elastic bands to the vein using an endoscope while observing the vein through the optics of the endoscope.
It can be difficult for a surgeon to both position an endoscope at the ligation site and deploy elastic bands onto tissue. It is, therefore, common practice for an assistant to activate release of the elastic bands while the surgeon maneuvers the endoscope. It would be desirable to have an apparatus that would enable the surgeon to both maneuver the endoscope and activate release of the elastic bands without difficulty.